Motherhood is a career to respect

　　A WOMAN renewing her driver’s license at the CountyClerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

　　“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a...”

　　“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”

　　“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation... ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.

　　One day I found myself in the same situation. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.

　　The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate (研究员) in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

　　The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.

　　I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement (声明) was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

　　“Might I ask,” said the clerk with interest, “just what you do in your field?”

　　Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

　　There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.

　　As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (激励) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants – ages 13, 7, and 3.

　　Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

　　I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”

　　Motherhood... What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.

How did the female clerk feel at first when the writer told her occupation?

　　A. Cold-hearted.　　　　B. Open-minded.

　　C. Puzzled. 　　　　　　D. Interested.

How many children does the writer have?

　　A. 3　　　 B. 4 　　　C. 7　　　 D. 13

Why did the woman clerk show more respect to the writer?

　　A. Because she thought the writer did admirable work.

　　B. Because the writer cared little about rewards.

　　C. Because the writer did something that she had little knowledge of.

　　D. Because she admired the writer's research work.

What is the point of the article?

　　A. To show that how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.

　　B. To show that the writer had a grander job than Emily.

　　C. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career.

　　D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.

Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia, I saw a small pool of water ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn't covered by water or mud. As I reached the pool, I was suddenly attacked!

Yet I did nothing for the attack. It was so unpredictable and from somewhere totally unexpected. I was surprised as well as unhurt though I had been struck four or five times. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped attacking me. Had I been hurt I wouldn't have found it amusing. And I was laughing. After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!

　　Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again. He charged towards me at full speed, attempting to hurt me but in vain. For a second time, I took a step backwards while my attacker paused. I wasn't sure what to do. After all, it’s just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly. I stepped back to look the situation over. My attacker moved back to land on the ground. That's when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier. He had a mate and she was dying.

　　Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it up on himself to attack me for his mate’s sake, even though she was clearly dying and I was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life. Should I have been careless enough to step on her? His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate’s safety seemed admirable. I couldn’t do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the pool. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed.

　　Since then, I’ve used that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for.

1.The writer changed his direction while walking down a path because he wanted_______.

A. to get close to a butterfly

B. to escape a sudden attack

C. to look over the bad situation

D. to avoid getting his shoes dirty

2.From the passage we can learn that the attacker _________.

A. struck the author four or five times and made him badly hurt

B. paused until the author took a step backwards

C. thought it was the author who caused the death of his mate

D. attacked the author for his mate’s safety and to accompany her for the last moments of life

3.From this experience the man learned_____.

A. butterflies are brave insects

B. the small can defeat the large

C. how to deal with challenges in his life

D. people should try their best to fight for everything

4.Which of the following words can best describe the butterfly?

A. caring     B. ambitious     C. courageous       D. aggressive

Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.

　　Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.

　　These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.

　　It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.

　　Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.

1.Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?

A.She serves as a role model for African women.

B.She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.

C.She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.

D.She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.

2.What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?

A.They are victims of violence.

B.They are of an inferior violence.

C.They use quite a lot of body language.

D.They live on charity and social welfare.

3.What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?

A.Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.

B.How Michelle should behave as a public figure.

C.How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.

D.What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.

4.What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?

A.However many fans she has, she should remain modest,

B.She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.

C.However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.

D.She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.

5.What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?

A.Help change the prevailing view about black women.

B.Help her husband in the task of changing America.

C.Outshine previous First Lady.

D.Fully display her fine qualities.

Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia, I saw a small pool of water ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn't covered by water or mud. As I reached the pool, I was suddenly attacked!
Yet I did nothing for the attack. It was so unpredictable and from somewhere totally unexpected. I was surprised as well as unhurt though I had been struck four or five times. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped attacking me. Had I been hurt I wouldn't have found it amusing. And I was laughing. After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!
　　Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again. He charged towards me at full speed, attempting to hurt me but in vain. For a second time, I took a step backwards while my attacker paused. I wasn't sure what to do. After all, it's just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly. I stepped back to look the situation over. My attacker moved back to land on the ground. That's when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier. He had a mate and she was dying.
　　Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it up on himself to attack me for his mate's sake , even though she was clearly dying and I was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should I have been careless enough to step on her. His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate's safety seemed admirable. I couldn't do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the pool. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed.
　　Since then, I've used that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for.
【小题1】The writer changed his direction while walking down a path because he want__________.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Motherhood is a career to respect
　　A WOMAN renewing her driver’s license at the CountyClerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
　　“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a...”
　　“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
　　“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation... ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
　　One day I found myself in the same situation. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
　　The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate (研究员) in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
　　The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
　　I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement (声明) was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
　　“Might I ask,” said the clerk with interest, “just what you do in your field?”
　　Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
　　There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
　　As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (激励) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants – ages 13, 7, and 3.
　　Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
　　I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
　　Motherhood... What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
【小题1】 How did the female clerk feel at first when the writer told her occupation?